FLAT ROOF BUBBLES
I noticed several air bubbles on my flat roof in Park Slope. Some of my neighbors roofs have them also. Why is it that some roofs have them and some roofs don’t? Do I need to be concerned about them?
I noticed several air bubbles on my flat roof in Park Slope.
Some of my neighbors roofs have them also.
Why is it that some roofs have them and some roofs don’t?
Do I need to be concerned about them?
i have just had my roof redone and they removed all the old matrial striped down to the wood decking and then they used the new Tpo roofing on my flat roof. and it has been about three or four months now since the install. i went up on the roof the other day and found five or more air pockets on the roof is this normal for this type of roofing for when i called the company that did my roof they said it was nothing to worry about it was normal for that type of roofing but then it started to leak two or more days later.
Flat Roof Blisters/Bubbles most often are filled with air. Sometimes they’re filled with water; but originally they always start out as air bubbles.
As a house ages it begins to settle. As a result of the settling, the roof deck begins to become slightly uneven and slight dips and indentations start to form. this is where the potential for Flat Roof Blisters/Bubbles can occur; if when re-roofing the Roofer fails to do the job properly.
As the years pass by and your house ages there are usually several layers of roofing membranes on your roof. (The same is so for most Flat Roofed houses) It is important that each layer of roofing was installed properly, in order to prevent Blisters/Bubbles.
Since most Flat Roofs have several layers of re-roofing on them, the Blisters/Bubbles can be comming from any one of the layers underneathe.
Flat Roof Blisterts/Bubbles occur as the direct result of hot air that rises from the crawl space between the top floor ceiling and the roof deck of the home.
There are four main reasons why Blisters/Bubbles occur on your Flat Roof.
1. The Roofer did not completely cover every square inch of the roof deck with adhesive as he re-roofed. Any void will leave a space for the rising hot air to enter.
2. If the Roofer spreads the adhesive over a wet or a damp roof surface. Adhesives will not completely adhere to wet or damp surfaces!!!!!!!
3. If the Roofer does not sweep the old roof completely. There is no tar on earth that will stick to dirt or dust!!!!!
4. And the most common reason today is Torch-Down roofing. Since Torch-Down roofing membranes adhere to a roof more like a bandaid, they merely stick to the formost top surface of any Flat Roof. Torch-Down rarely sticks to the bottom end of the indentations on your roof surface. Cocequently there are large areas of space for the hot air to rise into.
As the years pass and the adhesives lose thier consistency and the air Blister/Bubbles begin to get larger. Sometimes they fill up with water. This happens when there is a puncture in the roof and the water travels to the air pocket.
Blister/Bubbles do not do any harm to your roof deck unless they’re filled with water. And then the water would have to be penetrating in to your home. (Stains on your on your ceiling would be the tell tale of a penetrating leak) Therefore, There is no need to be too concerned about them, until you re-roof your home.
When it’s time to do your roof again the Roofer needs to slice the Blister/Bubbles like a pizza pie and then seal the loose membrane with adhesive before the re-roofing process begins.
I hope that I addressed your concerns adequately.
Your neighborhood Roofer
Nick Kontzamanis
Leak Master Roofing
718-421-2000